Assemblymember Holden’s Legislation to Remove SR 710 North from Freeway System and Return Control to Local Communities Passes Assembly Floor

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Assemblymember Holden’s Legislation to Remove SR 710 North from Freeway System and Return Control to Local Communities Passes Assembly Floor

Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Chris Holden’s legislation to remove State Route 710 between Interstate 210 and Interstate 10 from the California State Freeway and Expressway system, Assembly Bill 29, passed the Assembly Floor and is now heading to the Senate.

“Fixing our state’s highway code to reflect the facts on the ground is the logical next step to bury the tunnel idea once and for all,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden.

The legislation aims to quell lingering concerns about Caltrans’ Final Environmental Impact Report and a 2017 Los Angeles Metro motion to move away from the tunnel concept for largely financial reasons. The reasoning for both decisions may leave the tunnel solution open to future consideration.

Assembly Bill 29 is a result of a two year legislative effort that brought together the cities of South Pasadena, Alhambra, Pasadena and unincorporated parts of Los Angeles to create language they could all agree on.

Holden’s legislation specifies that State Route 710 is from Route 1 to Route 10, essentially eliminating any future possibility of a freeway tunnel. Assembly Bill 29 was amended to establish a process that requires Caltrans and Metro to consult with the affected communities and receive agreement before constructing new projects. The amendments removes opposition and more importantly, creates a pathway for relinquishment to allow cities to improve traffic flow, build affordable housing, create green spaces, bike lanes and dedicated bus routes instead of crowded streets as well as build mixed use spaces for retail, housing and entertainment.

“We are at a tipping point with the 60 year project and we couldn’t get to this point without the decades of hard work, passion, and leadership of community stakeholders, who have also made a direct impact on my views on this issue,” said Holden. “I plan to continue to work with the impacted cities and Caltrans to take the necessary next steps to allow them to decide how this disputed land can return to the community.”